Sealing rings, such as O-ring seals, are generally known.
These universal sealing rings can be used for statically or dynamically sealing machine elements. They have the advantage of being suited for a wide variety of possible applications, and of being simple and cost-effective to manufacture.
An inherent disadvantage of O-rings is that, during installation or normal use, particularly when performing dynamic sealing tasks in the presence of axial motion of the machine elements to be sealed from one another, they are subject to the risk of twisting/distortion.
Moreover, in order to provide an effective sealing action when performing dynamic sealing tasks, it is necessary for the previously known sealing rings to be vigorously compressed inside of their installation space. This produces high frictional forces in response to the relative motion of the machine elements to be sealed from one another, because the round sealing edges of the sealing rings then flatten considerably, resulting in a large contact surface at the machine elements to be sealed.
Another disadvantage inherent to the manufacturing process is that the O-rings have flash lines which, for the most part, are located on the inside and outside diameters and, thus, precisely on the functional surfaces important to many sealing applications.
Due to the circular cross section of O-rings, the number of sealing locations in the installation space, for example in a classic rectangular groove, is limited to two sealing surfaces, for example the outside and inside diameters or the axial end faces.